The present disclosure relates generally to medical devices and, more particularly, to airway devices, such as tracheal tubes.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Tracheal tubes are often placed in the airway of a patient in medical situations that necessitate protection of the airway from possible obstruction or occlusion. For instance, tracheal tubes may be used in emergency situations, such as when a patient experiences cardiac or respiratory arrest. Such tracheal tubes are often coupled to an air source, such as a ventilator, to provide the patient with a source of fresh air. After patient expiration into the tracheal tube, a volume of the ventilation lumen often remains filled with expired air. Unfortunately, upon inspiration, the patient may re-breathe a portion of the expired air remaining in the ventilation lumen. Inspiration of the expired air may compromise the quality of the fresh air being supplied to the patient because the expired air may include increased carbon dioxide levels and decreased oxygen levels as compared to the fresh air supply.
Additionally, since many traditional tracheal tubes provide a single channel through which the patient inspires and expires air, biofilms may develop on an inner surface of the main ventilation lumen. Such biofilms may accumulate and even dislodge during the breathing cycle, which is generally undesirable. Accordingly, there exists a need for systems that address such drawbacks with conventional tracheal tubes.